Citizendia

The seal of the Confederate government of Kentucky
The seal of the Confederate government of Kentucky

The Confederate government of Kentucky was a shadow government established for the Commonwealth of Kentucky by a self-constituted group of Southern sympathizers during the American Civil War. A shadow government is a "government-in-waiting" that remains in waiting with the intention of taking control of a Government in response to some event Four of the constituent states of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The shadow government never replaced the elected government in Frankfort, which had strong Union sympathies. Frankfort is a city in the US commonwealth of Kentucky that serves as the state Capital and the County seat of Franklin County. During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three Neither did it gain the support of Kentucky's citizens; its jurisdiction extended only as far as Confederate battle lines in the Commonwealth. Nevertheless, the provisional government was recognized by the Confederate States of America, and Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861. The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Kentucky was represented by the central star on the Confederate battle flag. The Confederate States of America used several Flags during its existence from 1861 to 1865 [1]

Bowling Green was designated the Confederate capital of Kentucky, but due to the military situation in the state, the provisional government was exiled and traveled with the Army of Tennessee for most of its existence. Bowling Green is the fourth-most populous City in the US state of Kentucky after Louisville, Lexington and Owensboro The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the For a short time in the autumn of 1862, the Confederate Army controlled Frankfort, the only time a Union capital was captured by Confederate forces. The War Department was established by the Confederate Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. During this occupation, General Braxton Bragg attempted to install the provisional government as the permanent authority in the Commonwealth. Braxton Bragg (March 22 1817 &ndash September 27 1876 was a career United States Army officer and then a General in the Confederate States Army, a However, Union General Don Carlos Buell ambushed the inauguration ceremony and drove the provisional government from the state for the final time. Don Carlos Buell (March 23 1818 &ndash November 19 1898 was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War From that point forward, the government existed primarily on paper, and was dissolved at the end of the war.

The provisional government elected two governors. George W. Johnson was elected at the Russellville Convention and served until his death at the Battle of Shiloh. George Washington Johnson (May 27 1811 April 8 1862 was the first Confederate governor of Kentucky. Background and opposing forces After the losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862 Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston withdrew Richard Hawes was elected to replace Johnson, and served through the remainder of the war. Richard Hawes (February 6 1797 – May 25 1877 was a United States Representative from Kentucky and the second Confederate Governor of Kentucky.

Contents

Background

Kentucky's citizens were split regarding the issues central to the Civil War. The state had strong economic ties with Ohio River cities such as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati while at the same time sharing many cultural, social, and economic links with the South. The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. Unionist traditions were strong throughout the Commonwealth's history, and with economic ties to both the North and the South, Kentucky had little to gain and much to lose from a war between the states. Additionally, many slaveholders felt that the best protection for slavery was within the Union. Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia in 1607 and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth The presidential election of 1860 reflected Kentucky's mixed heritage when the state gave John Bell 45% of the popular vote, John C. Breckinridge 36%, Stephen Douglas 18%, and Abraham Lincoln less than 1%. The United States presidential election of 1860 set the stage for the American Civil War. John Bell (also known as "The Great Apostate") ( February 15, 1797 &ndash September 10, 1869) was a U John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16 1821 &ndash May 17 1875 was a lawyer U Stephen Arnold Douglas ( April 23, 1813 - June 3, 1861) was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal Historian Allan Nevins interpreted the election results to mean that Kentuckians strongly opposed both secession and coercion against the secessionists. The Ordinance of Secession was the document drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861 by the seceding states that officially declared their Secession from the The majority coalition of Bell and Douglas supporters was seen as a solid moderate Unionist position that opposed precipitate action by extremists on either side. [2]

1860 Presidential candidate John Breckinridge represented the states' rights position.
1860 Presidential candidate John Breckinridge represented the states' rights position. States' rights refers to the idea in US politics and constitutional law, that U

The majority of Kentucky's citizens felt it was their role to be a mediator between the North and South. On December 9, 1860, Kentucky Governor Beriah Magoffin sent a letter to the other slave state governors, suggesting that they come to an agreement with the North that would include strict enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act, a division of common territories at the 37th parallel, a guarantee of free use of the Mississippi River, and a Southern veto over slave legislation. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting The Governor of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of the U Beriah Magoffin ( April 18, 1815 February 28, 1885) was the Governor of Kentucky from 1859 to 1862 The Fugitive Slave Law or Fugitive Slave Act was passed by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850, as part of the Compromise of The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to A veto, Latin for "I forbid" is used to Denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of Legislation. Magoffin proposed a conference of slave states, followed by a conference of all the states to secure these concessions. Because of the escalating pace of events, neither conference was ever held. [3]

Governor Magoffin called a special session of the Kentucky General Assembly on December 27, 1860, asking the legislators to call a convention of Kentuckians to decide the Commonwealth's course in the sectional conflict. The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting [4] The Louisville Morning Courier on January 25, 1861 articulated the position that the secessionists faced in the legislature, "Too much time has already been wasted. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The historic moment once past, never returns. For us and for Kentucky, the time to act is NOW OR NEVER. "[5] The Unionists, on the other hand, were unwilling to surrender the fate of the state to a convention that might "in a moment of excitement, adopt the extreme remedy of secession. "[6] The Unionist position carried when many of the states rights legislators, opposing the idea of immediate secession, voted against the convention. [7] The assembly did, however, send six delegates to a February 4 Peace Conference in Washington, D.C., and asked Congress to call a national convention to consider potential resolutions to the secession crisis, including the Crittenden Compromise, authored by Kentuckian John J. Crittenden. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons The Peace Conference of 1861 was a meeting of more than 100 of the leading politicians of the Antebellum United States held in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The Crittenden Compromise ( December 18, 1860) was an unsuccessful proposal by Kentucky Senator John J John Jordan Crittenden ( September 10, 1786 July 26, 1863) was an American statesman from Kentucky. [8]

As a result of the firing on Fort Sumter, President Lincoln sent a telegram to Governor Magoffin requesting that the Commonwealth supply four regiments as its share of the overall request of 75,000 troops for the war. Fort Sumter, a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston harbor South Carolina, was named after General Thomas Sumter [9] Magoffin, a Southern sympathizer, replied "President Lincoln, Washington, D.C. I will send not a man nor a dollar for the wicked purpose of subduing my sister Southern states. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive B. Magoffin"[10] Both houses of the General Assembly met on May 7 and passed declarations of neutrality in the war, a position officially declared by Governor Magoffin on May 20. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Kentucky Declaration of Neutrality was the resolution by the Kentucky Legislature declaring the Commonwealth of Kentucky officially neutral in the American Civil Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held [11]

In a special congressional election held June 20, Unionist candidates won nine of Kentucky's ten congressional seats. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. [12] Confederate sympathizers won only the Jackson Purchase region,[12] which was economically linked to Tennessee by the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. The Jackson Purchase is a region in the state of Kentucky bounded by the Mississippi River The Cumberland River is an important waterway in the Southern United States. The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. [13] Believing defeat at the polls was certain, many Southern Rightists had boycotted the election; of the 125,000 votes cast, Unionists captured close to 90,000. An election boycott is the Boycotting of an Election by a group of voters each of whom abstains from voting [14] Southern sympathizers were dealt a further blow in the August 5 election for state legislators. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. This election resulted in veto-proof Unionist majorities of 76–24 in the House and 27–11 in the Senate. A veto, Latin for "I forbid" is used to Denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of Legislation. The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly The Kentucky Senate is the Upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. [12] From that time forward, most of Magoffin's vetoes to protect southern interests were overridden in the General Assembly. [12]

Historian Wilson Porter Shortridge made the following analysis of the election results:

“These elections demonstrated that a majority of the people of Kentucky were opposed to secession, but they could not be interpreted as an approval of the war policy of the Lincoln administration, as was quite generally done at the north at that time. Perhaps the best explanation at that time was that the people of Kentucky desired peace and thought that the election of the union candidates was the best way to get it. [15]”

With actual secession no longer considered to be a viable option, the pro-Confederate forces became the strongest supporters for neutrality, although Unionists simply dismissed this as a front for their true secessionist agenda. Unionists, on the other hand, struggled to find a way to move the large, moderate middle to a “definite and unqualified stand with the Washington government. ” The maneuvering between the two finally reached a decisive point on September 3 when Confederate forces were ordered from Tennessee to the Kentucky towns of Hickman and Columbus, and Union forces responded by occupying Paducah. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Hickman is a city in Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2560 at the 2000 census. Columbus is a city in Hickman County, Kentucky, United States. Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky 's Jackson Purchase Region and the County seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States [16]

On September 11 the legislature passed a resolution instructing Magoffin to order the Confederate forces (but not the Union forces) to leave the state. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul The Governor vetoed the resolution, but the General Assembly overrode his veto, and Magoffin gave the order. The next week, the assembly officially requested the assistance of the Union and asked the governor to call out the state militia to join the Federal forces. Magoffin also vetoed this request, and again the assembly overrode the veto, and Magoffin acquiesced. [17]

Formation

A pro-Confederate peace meeting, with Breckinridge as a speaker, was scheduled for September 21. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Unionists feared the meeting would lead to actual military resistance, and dispatched troops from Camp Dick Robinson to disband the meeting and arrest Breckinridge. Camp Dick Robinson was a large Union Army organizational and training center located near Lancaster in rural Garrard County Kentucky, during the American [18] Breckinridge, as well as many other state leaders identified with the secessionists, fled the state. These leaders eventually served as the nucleus for a group that would create a shadow government for Kentucky. In his October 8 "Address to the People of Kentucky," Breckinridge declared, "The United States no longer exists. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Union is dissolved. "[19]

On October 29, 1861, 63 delegates representing 34 counties met at Russellville to discuss the formation of a Confederate government for the Commonwealth. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of the one hundred Russellville is a city in and the County seat of Logan County, Kentucky, United States. [20] Despite recent defeats at the polls, this group believed that the Unionist government in Frankfort did not represent the will of the majority of Kentucky's citizens. [9] Trigg County's Henry Burnett was elected chairman of the proceedings. Trigg County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky. Henry Cornelius Burnett ( October 5, 1825 &ndash October 1, 1866) represented the state of Kentucky in the [20] Scott County farmer George W. Scott County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky. Johnson chaired the committee that authored the convention's final report, and introduced some of its key resolutions. [9] The report called for a sovereignty convention to sever ties with the Federal government. [9] Both Breckinridge and Johnson served on the Committee of Ten that made arrangements for the convention. [20]

The Clark House in Russellville, Kentucky
The Clark House in Russellville, Kentucky

On November 18, 116 delegates from 68 counties met at the Clark House in Russellville. Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull [21] Burnett was again elected presiding officer, and fearing for the safety of the delegates, initially proposed postponing the proceedings until January 8, 1862. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday [22] Johnson convinced the majority of the delegates to continue, working behind closed doors,[22] but by the third day, the military situation was so tenuous that the entire convention had to be moved to a tower on the campus of Bethel Female College, a now-defunct institution in Russellville. Bethel College is a defunct college in Kentucky affiliated with the Baptist Church founded in 1854 and closed in 1964 [21]

Officials of the Confederate government of Kentucky[23]
PositionOfficeholder
GovernorGeorge W. Johnson
Lieutenant GovernorHoratio F. Simrall
Secretary of StateRobert McKee
TreasurerTheodore Legrand Burnett
AuditorJosiah Pillsbury

The first item of business was the ratification of an ordinance of secession, which proceeded in short order. The Ordinance of Secession was the document drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861 by the seceding states that officially declared their Secession from the [22] Next, being unable to flesh out a complete constitution and system of laws, the delegates voted that "the Constitution and laws of Kentucky, not inconsistent with the acts of this Convention, and the establishment of this Government, and the laws which may be enacted by the Governor and Council, shall be the laws of this state. The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the document that governs the United States Commonwealth of Kentucky. "[24] The provisional government proposed by the delegates consisted of a legislative council of ten members (one from each Kentucky congressional district), a governor, who had the power to appoint judicial and other officials, a treasurer and an auditor. [25] The delegates designated Bowling Green (then under the control of Confederate general Albert Sidney Johnston) as the Confederate State capital, but had the foresight to provide that the government could meet anywhere deemed appropriate by the council and governor. [24] The convention adopted a new state seal, an arm wearing mail with a star, extended from a circle of twelve other stars. Mail (also maille, often given as chain mail or chain maille) is a type of Armour or jewellery that consists of small metal rings linked [21]

The convention unanimously elected Johnson as governor. [21] There is also some indication that Horatio F. Simrall was elected lieutenant governor, but soon fled to Mississippi to escape Federal authorities. Horatio F Simrall ( February 6, 1818 &ndash August 15, 1901) was chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court. A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States [23] Robert McKee, who had served as secretary of both conventions, was appointed secretary of state. [26] Theodore Legrand Burnett was elected treasurer, but resigned on December 17 to accept a position in the Confederate Congress. Theodore Legrand Burnett ( November 14, 1829 &ndash October 30, 1917) was an American soldier attorney and a prominent politician Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865 [26] He was replaced by Warren County native John Quincy Burnham. Warren County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky, specifically the Pennyroyal Plateau and Western Coal Fields [26] The position of auditor was first offered to former Congressman Richard Hawes, but Hawes declined in order to continue his military service under Humphrey Marshall. Richard Hawes (February 6 1797 – May 25 1877 was a United States Representative from Kentucky and the second Confederate Governor of Kentucky. Humphrey Marshall ( January 13, 1812 &ndash March 28, 1872) was a four-term Antebellum United States Congressman and a [27] In his stead, the convention elected Josiah Pillsbury, also of Warren County. [26] The legislative council elected Willis Benson Machen as its president. Willis Benson Machen ( April 10 1810 &ndash September 29 1893) was a Democratic U [26]

On November 21, the day following the convention, Johnson wrote Confederate president Jefferson Davis to request Kentucky's admission to the Confederacy. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the [12] Burnett, William Preston, and William E. Simms were chosen as the state's commissioners to the Confederacy. William Preston ( October 16, 1816 &ndash September 21, 1887) was an American lawyer politician and ambassador William Emmett Simms ( January 2, 1822 &ndash June 25, 1898) was a U [28] For reasons unexplained by the delegates, Dr. Luke P. Blackburn, a native Kentuckian living in Mississippi, was invited to accompany the commissioners to Richmond, Virginia. Luke Pryor Blackburn (June 16 1816 September 14 1887 was a doctor and Philanthropist who despite only meager previous political experience served as Governor of Kentucky Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. [26] Though Davis had some reservation about the circumvention of the elected General Assembly in forming the Confederate government, he concluded that Johnson's request had merit, and on November 25, recommended Kentucky for admission to the Confederacy. The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the [29] Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common [9]

Activity

On November 26, 1861, Governor Johnson issued an address to the citizens of the Commonwealth blaming abolitionists for the breakup of the United States. Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Abolitionism was a political movement of the 18th and 19th century which sought to make Slavery illegal particularly in the United States and British West Indies [12] He asserted his belief that the Union and Confederacy were forces of equal strength, and that the only solution to the war was a free trade agreement between the two sovereign nations. [12] He further announced his willingness to resign as provisional governor if the Kentucky General Assembly would agree to cooperate with Governor Magoffin. [12] Magoffin himself denounced the Russellville Convention and the provisional government, stressing the need to abide by the will of the majority of the Commonwealth's citizens. [30]

George W. Johnson, the first Confederate governor of Kentucky
George W. Johnson, the first Confederate governor of Kentucky

During the winter of 1861, Johnson tried to assert the legitimacy of the fledgling government but its jurisdiction extended only as far as the area controlled by the Confederate Army. George Washington Johnson (May 27 1811 April 8 1862 was the first Confederate governor of Kentucky. [12] Johnson came short of raising the 46,000 troops requested by the Confederate Congress. [12] Efforts to levy taxes and to compel citizens to turn over their guns to the government were similarly unsuccessful. [12] On January 3, 1862, Johnson requested a sum of $3 million from the Confederate Congress to meet the provisional government's operating expenses. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday [31] The Congress instead approved a sum of $2 million, the expenditure of which required approval of Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin and President Davis. Judah Philip Benjamin ( August 6, 1811 &ndash May 6, 1884) was an American politician and lawyer [31] Much of the provisional government's operating capital was probably provided by Kentucky congressman Eli Metcalfe Bruce, who made a fortune from varied economic activities throughout the war. Eli Metcalfe Bruce ( February 22, 1828 &ndash December 15, 1866) was a Philanthropist and a Representative from Kentucky [31]

The council met on December 14 to appoint representatives to the Confederacy's unicameral provisional congress. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber [32] Those appointed would serve for only two months, as the provisional congress was replaced with a permanent bicameral legislature on February 17, 1862. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday [32] Kentucky was entitled to two senators and 12 representatives in the permanent Confederate Congress. [33] The usual day for general elections being passed, Governor Johnson and the legislative council set election day for Confederate Kentucky on January 22. Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. [33] Voters were allowed to vote in whichever county they occupied on election day, and could cast a general ballot for all positions. [33] In an election that saw military votes outnumber civilian ones, only four of the provisional legislators were elected to seats in the Confederate House of Representatives. [33] One provisional legislator, Henry Burnett, was elected to the Confederate Senate. [33]

The provisional government took other minor actions during the winter of 1861. An act was passed to rename Wayne County to Zollicoffer County in honor of Felix Zollicoffer, who died at the Battle of Mill Springs. Wayne County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky. Felix Kirk Zollicoffer ( May 19, 1812 &ndash January 19, 1862) was a newspaperman three-term United States Congressman from Background In 1861 the critical border state of Kentucky had declared neutrality in the fight to maintain the Union [34] Local officials were appointed in areas controlled by Confederate forces, including many justices of the peace. A Justice of the Peace ( JP) is a Puisne Judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace [12] When the Confederate government eventually disbanded, the legality of marriages performed by these justices was questioned, but eventually upheld. [12]

Withdrawal from Kentucky and death of Governor Johnson

Following Ulysses S. Grant's victory at the Battle of Fort Henry, General Johnston withdrew from Bowling Green into Tennessee on February 7, 1862. Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States Background In early 1861 the critical border state of Kentucky had declared neutrality in the fight to maintain the Union Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday A week later, Governor Johnson and the provisional government followed. On March 12, the New Orleans Picayune reported that "the capital of Kentucky [is] now being located in a Sibley tent. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving The Times-Picayune is a daily Newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. "[12]

Governor Johnson, despite his presumptive official position, his age (50), and a crippled arm,[35] volunteered to serve under General John C. Breckinridge and Colonel Robert P. John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16 1821 &ndash May 17 1875 was a lawyer U Trabue at the Battle of Shiloh. Background and opposing forces After the losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862 Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston withdrew [9] On April 7, Johnson was severely wounded in the thigh and abdomen, and lay on the battlefield until the following day. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor [9] Johnson was recognized by acquaintance and fellow Freemason, Alexander McDowell McCook, a Union general. Alexander McDowell McCook (April 22 1831 &ndash June 12 1903 was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. [9] Johnson died aboard the Union hospital ship Hannibal,[12] and the provisional government of Kentucky was left leaderless.

Richard Hawes as governor

Richard Hawes, the second Confederate governor of Kentucky
Richard Hawes, the second Confederate governor of Kentucky

Prior to abandoning Bowling Green, Governor Johnson requested that Richard Hawes come to the city and help with the administration of the government, but Hawes was delayed due to a bout with typhoid fever. Richard Hawes (February 6 1797 – May 25 1877 was a United States Representative from Kentucky and the second Confederate Governor of Kentucky. Typhoid fever, also known as enteric fever, bilious fever, Yellow Jack or commonly just typhoid, is an illness caused by the Bacterium [36] Following Johnson's death, the provisional government elected Hawes, who was still recovering from his illness, as governor. [37] Following his recovery, Hawes joined the government in Corinth, Mississippi, and took the oath of office on May 31. Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. [38]

During the summer of 1862, word began to spread through the Army of Tennessee that Generals Bragg and Edmund Kirby Smith were planning an invasion of Kentucky. Edmund Kirby Smith (May 16 1824 – March 28 1893 was a career United States Army officer an educator and a general in the Confederate Army during [38] The legislative council voted to endorse the invasion plan, and on August 27, Governor Hawes was dispatched to Richmond to favorably recommend it to President Davis. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan [9] Davis was non-committal, but Bragg and Smith proceeded, nonetheless. [37]

On August 30, Smith commanded one of the most complete Confederate victories of the war against an inexperienced Union force at the Battle of Richmond. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and [39] Bragg also won a decisive victory at the September 13 Battle of Munfordville, but the delay there cost him the larger prize of Louisville, which Don Carlos Buell moved to occupy on September 25. Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France [40] Having lost Louisville, Bragg spread his troops into defensive postures in the central Kentucky cities of Bardstown, Shelbyville and Danville and waited for something to happen, a move that historian Kenneth Noe called a "stupendously illogical decision. Bardstown is a city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. Shelbyville is a city in Shelby County Kentucky, United States Danville is a city in and the County seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. "[41][42]

Meanwhile, the leaders of Kentucky's Confederate government had remained in Chattanooga, Tennessee, awaiting Governor Hawes' return. [37] They finally departed on September 18,[37] and caught up with Bragg and Smith in Lexington, Kentucky on October 2. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Lexington (officially Lexington-Fayette Urban County is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 68th largest in the United States. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule [36] Bragg had been disappointed with the number of soldiers volunteering for Confederate service in Kentucky; wagon loads of weapons that had been shipped to the Commonwealth to arm the expected enlistees remained unissued. [43][44] Desiring to enforce the Confederate Conscription Act to boost recruitment, Bragg decided to install the provisional government in the recently-captured state capital of Frankfort. Frankfort is a city in the US commonwealth of Kentucky that serves as the state Capital and the County seat of Franklin County. [36] On October 4, 1862, Hawes was inaugurated as governor by the Confederate legislative council. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday [45] In the celebratory atmosphere of the inauguration ceremony, however, the Confederate forces let their guard down, and were ambushed and forced to retreat by Buell's artillery. [45][44][46]

Decline and dissolution

Following the Battle of Perryville, the provisional government left Kentucky for the final time. Kentucky Campaign of 1862 Situated between the Southern states of Tennessee and Virginia and the Northern states of Illinois [37] Displaced from their home state, members of the legislative council dispersed to places where they could make a living or be supported by relatives until Governor Hawes called them into session. [47] Scant records show that on December 30, 1862, Hawes summoned the council, auditor, and treasurer to his location at Athens, Tennessee for a meeting on January 15, 1863. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday Athens is a City in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States. It is the County seat of McMinn County and the principal city Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common [47] Hawes himself unsuccessfully lobbied President Davis to remove Hawes' former superior, Humphrey Marshall, from command. [48] On March 4, Hawes told Davis by letter that "our cause is steadily on the increase" and assured him that another foray into the Commonwealth would produce better results than the first had. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth [49]

The government's financial woes also continued. Hawes was embarrassed to admit that neither he nor anyone else seemed to know what became of approximately $45,000 that had been sent from Columbus to Memphis, Tennessee during the Confederate occupation of Kentucky. Columbus is a city in Hickman County, Kentucky, United States. Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County. [49] Another major blow was Davis' 1864 decision not to allow Hawes to spend $1 million that had been secretly appropriated in August of 1861 to help Kentucky maintain its neutrality. [37] Davis reasoned that the money could not be spent for its intended purpose, since Kentucky had already been admitted to the Confederacy. [37]

Late in the war, the provisional government existed mostly on paper. However, in the summer of 1864, Colonel R. A. Alston of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry requested Governor Hawes' assistance in investigating crimes allegedly committed by Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan during his latest raid into Kentucky. John Hunt Morgan ( June 1, 1825 &ndash September 4, 1864) was a Confederate General and Cavalry officer in the Hawes never had to act on the request, however, as Morgan was suspended from command on August 10 and killed by Union troops on September 4, 1864. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year [36]

There is no documentation detailing exactly when Kentucky's provisional government ceased operation. It is assumed to have dissolved upon the conclusion of the Civil War. [36]

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ Irby, Jr. , Richard E. . A Concise History of the Flags of the Confederate States of America and the Sovereign State of Georgia. About North Georgia. Golden Ink. Retrieved on 2006-11-29. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe
  2. ^ Nevins, pp. 129–130
  3. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, pp. 6–7
  4. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 7
  5. ^ Shortridge, p. 290
  6. ^ Heck, p. 333
  7. ^ Shortridge, pp. 290–291
  8. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 8
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harrison in Kentucky Governors, pp. 82–84
  10. ^ Powell, p. 52
  11. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 9
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rose, pp. 63–65
  13. ^ Kleber, p. 193
  14. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 11
  15. ^ Shortridge, p. 297
  16. ^ Shortridge, pp. 298–300
  17. ^ Shortridge, p. 300
  18. ^ Heck, p. 343
  19. ^ Brown, p. 80
  20. ^ a b c Brown, p. 83
  21. ^ a b c d Kleber, p. 222
  22. ^ a b c Harrison in Register, p. 13
  23. ^ a b Powell, p. 114
  24. ^ a b Harrison in Register, p. 14
  25. ^ Brown, p. 84
  26. ^ a b c d e f Brown, p. 85
  27. ^ Kleber, pp. 418–419
  28. ^ Harrison in Register, p. 15
  29. ^ Brown, p. 87
  30. ^ Harrison in Register, p. 16
  31. ^ a b c Harrison in Register, p. 20
  32. ^ a b Brown, p. 88
  33. ^ a b c d e Harrison in Register, p. 22
  34. ^ Brown, p. 89
  35. ^ Kleber, p. 473
  36. ^ a b c d e Rose, pp. 90–91
  37. ^ a b c d e f g Harrison in Kentucky Governors, pp. 85–88
  38. ^ a b Brown, p. 93
  39. ^ Kleber, pp. 772–773
  40. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 46
  41. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 48
  42. ^ Noe, p. 124
  43. ^ Harrison in The Civil War in Kentucky, p. 47
  44. ^ a b Encyclopedia Americana, p. 407
  45. ^ a b Powell, p. 115
  46. ^ Encyclopedia Americana, p. 707
  47. ^ a b Brown, p. 96
  48. ^ Brown, pp. 96–97
  49. ^ a b Brown, p. 97

External links

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